chrisksc

This just in:

SIA Ties up with Virgin Australia FFPs where you can convert/transfer points/miles between KrisFlyer and Velocity programs.

Enjoy.

mia

Press release here:

http://www.singaporeair.com/jsp/cms/...s/ne140924.jsp

ZenWorld

Wow. Sounds like excellent news, but it is not... at least for now.

Velocity FFP currently restricts membership only to Oceania countries. Open up to include Singapore as one of the countries eligible for Velocity FFP then the partnership makes sense. If not, what wider options in Velocity program for redemption are we talking about if we cannot transfer into Velocity FFP, cos we are not allowed to sign up in the first place?

Also, I cannot find any options for transferring to Velocity FFP in Krisflyer.com yet. Perhaps the technical details will be out later. [edit - the announcement says it will be starting in nov]

But the Krisflyer folks should note the Velocity FFP is only available for Oceania at the moment. Singapore-based Krisflyer members are currently short-changed by this tie-up, unless SQ is only doing a world-first tie-up that does not benefit even members based in Singapore.

lokijuh

Velocity is also open to people who know someone in Oceania who they trust to receive a plastic membership card in the mail for them

AddictedTraveller

It's certainly interesting. I really do hope that they open up Velocity to Singapore based members, that'll really give some added value for this partnership. I also wonder what the conversion rates will be are they going to take a chunk of Miles away when you convert just like transfers from Hotels programs to FF programs.

I did a short piece on this - going to look a bit more in depth soon.

Singapore Airlines And Virgin Australia Launch World First Loyalty Programme Conversion

dvs7310

^ Precisely. I recall several years ago when I needed an Air New Zealand account but they charged for membership in all countries except one (that I could find)... a random hotel's address in the CBD of that country's capital city worked just fine. Don't know if they send a plastic card or not but I certainly have no use for it anyway unless earning elite status... but then at least with ANZ, you could change the address to your real home address later without penalty once the account was open.

ZenWorld

We do not know what are the technicalities of the transfer. Maybe you will need matching name and addresses in both accounts.

But what is for sure, a huge majority of SQ members will not benefit from this tie-up, if Velocity still blocks membership outside Oceania. Even Singapore is excluded, I really have no idea why SQ thinks it will make sense for them, if this does not change.

It is surprising that SQ did not address this issue when they announce the tie-up, but they announced Velocity members having improved online capability to SQ Award booking system.

Velocity must open up their membership to outside Oceania, if not, SQ has successfully sold out most of their own members, to benefit all the members from another airline in this tie-up

lcpteck

We've already been sold out a long time ago, 10% mileage earning.

AddictedTraveller

I asked Virgin Australia regarding the membership countries and they said they have no plans at this time to open it up to other countries.

Traveloguy

SQ are making obviously quite a punt for VA members, and I suspect EY's recent antics have shocked them somewhat. SQ are obviously desperate to return to the AN years where SQ was for many the default choice when not flying AN. SQ also appear happy to rekindle their relationship towards NZ, therefore they probably see NZ as a likely real partner rather than the threat that is EY.

I should also point at that the introduction on the new seat on VA is interesting in itself, as this is the first EY related airline which has not followed in the path of EY and taken on their product (e.g. seats). EY has made it very clear that they want airlines which they own a share of to largely replicate them.

Anyhow, I digress....

kamchatsky

Obviously SQ sees Australia as one of their most important market. That's why they are doing everything to get Aussies to fly VA which will in term fly SQ. That's also why SQ owns part of VA, like NZ and EY.

I hope the transfer ratio would be like 1:1 (I wish!) then it would be quite amazing. Most likely though it would be like VA->SQ 3:2 or 2:1

kamchatsky

Well EY, NZ, SQ all owns part of VA so I assume they all have a say on direction of VA. I think the new VA J seats are great.

VA is in safe hands at the moment with John Borghetti and they seems to be doing most things right. Now they just need to stop adding flight capacity and let the airfares rises again to return it to profitability.

lokijuh

Yes, in terms of flights per week, Australia would have the most flights of any country SQ flies to (16 flights/day), and second behind Indonesia in terms of group flights (i.e. including MI). Certainly more flights to Australia/NZ than Europe, Africa, Middle East or the Americas.

aster

QF's recent tie-up with EK might also have something to do with it. Plus EK also flies to the likes of Brisbane... from SIN. BA is also great on the SYD route from SIN, so competition is increasing from all sides.

Just curious where Scoot fits in all of this... especially since I've been booking loads of tix with them recently due to two reasons: only airline to fly non-stop to OOL (Gold Coast) -and- 2) only airline to offer sensible 1-way pricing out of SYD, not to mention a great time slot on that flight (pity the reverse out of SIN is terribly-timed).

Traveloguy

SQ and NZ have a more similar direction, EY perhaps not so. I would agree however that the new VA J seats are about as good as it gets.

On this point we don't agree. I want VA to be a success, but bleeding cash is not the way to do it. Thus far, VA and QF are still very much bleeding. I'm also surprised to see an A330 fleet dedicated to PER when it is pretty much the optimal aircraft for a 6-9 hour flight cost-wise.